The Art of Pauses: Transforming Silence into Presentation Gold

A deep breath, a brief pause, and off we go: a rapid-fire of words lasting 20 minutes.

Many presentations follow this pattern, a one-way communication (from the presenter to the audience) with as few pauses as possible, almost as if to say, "if I stop, I'm lost."

Spewing out 175 words per minute (the maximum speed we have when speaking) in an uninterrupted flow is the best way to bore the audience and make your idea incomprehensible.

We tend to underestimate them, but pauses are a crucial element in improving our effectiveness when speaking in public. They are not a "heavy void" to be awkwardly managed but a powerful weapon with multiple purposes:

1. Emphasizing a crucial point in the presentation: Creating that interruption provides a theatrical effect, highlighting a statement or concept. Pauses leave suspension points, giving weight to the last uttered sentence.

   
   

2. Allowing people time to absorb the information. Permitting reflection on what you've said. Pauses give the audience time to grasp your idea, to gradually make it their own. This way, listeners will better understand what you're saying.

   
   

3. Leaving room for questions.If something isn't clear, a pause leaves space for questions. It's a fundamental step to ensure the audience understands what you're saying and to give them the opportunity to actively contribute to the presentation.

Silence is golden even when speaking in public. It may seem counterintuitive, but being silent for a few seconds has tremendous advantages when it comes to persuading someone.